The Turkish and U.S. governments signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) on April 26, 2005 for the $1.1 billion modernization of 117 Turkish Air Force F-16s to a common avionics configuration. However, it was in December 2006 that a $635 million contract under that framework was issued to Lockheed Martin.

The upgrade will create a common avionics configuration for the service's fleet of F-16 block 40 and 50 aircraft. More than 200 F-16 aircraft comprise the backbone of Turkey's current fighter fleet. Systems to be integrated on Turkey's upgraded F-16s include the AN/APG-69(V)9 radar that is currently being installed on new F-16 advanced block 50/52 aircraft, upgraded navigation systems and BAE Systems' AN/ALQ-178(V)5+ electronic-warfare (EW) system, mounted internally, with radar warning and jamming capabilities for aircraft self-protection.

The aircraft will also be modified to be able to carry missile systems of unspecified types. Some potential candidates include the AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM and MBDA Meteor.

This program will be conducted under the U.S. foreign military sales program, with Lockheed Martin in Ft. Worth, TX serving as principal contractor, although the actual modification of the aircraft will be performed by TUSAS Aerospace Industries in Ankara, Turkey. TUSAS is currently the focus of a Turkish defense industry consolidation plan sponsored by the Turkish government.

In all probability, this program's cost and scope will end Turkish enquiries concerning the Eurofighter Typhoon as a bridge between its current F-16 fleet and the J-35 Joint Strike Fighter scheduled to arrive around 2015.

RSS    Save to Del.icio.us  Digg This